Rumors rife on Dorodjatun resignation

Rumors rife on Dorodjatun resignation

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Rumors were spreading quickly on Tuesday evening that
Coordinating Minister for the Economy Dorodjatun Kuntjoro-Jakti
had tendered his resignation to President Megawati Soekarnoputri.

However, the rumors were rejected by an assistant to the
coordinating minister for the economy, Dipo Alam, who claimed
that they were false.

"These are rumors. They are not true. He (Dorodjatun) is here
with me in Aceh on a working visit," Dipo told The Jakarta Post,
adding that Dorodjatun was scheduled to visit Lhoksumawe on
Wednesday.

Talk of Dorodjatun's resignation emerged on Friday, claiming
that he had had tough arguments with the President regarding the
issue of foreign debt.

Dorodjatun brushed aside the rumors saying that he had never
had any intention to resign from the ministerial post. The rumors
came to the fore again on Monday after a Cabinet meeting on
investment.

Speculation continued on Tuesday morning as the President
summoned Minister of Finance Boediono and State Minister of State
Enterprises Laksamana Sukardi to her official residence on Jl.
Teuku Umar.

According to informed sources, the President, Boediono and
Laksamana discussed the country's economic situation, apparently
in the absence of Dorodjatun, which only fueled further
speculation on the possibility of rifts inside the Cabinet.

A close aide to the President confirmed to the Post on Tuesday
that Dorodjatun had submitted his resignation letter and Megawati
had refused to say anything in response to the letter.

The source said that Dorodjatun was frustrated with the
current economic condition, which was heading toward a downturn
at the end of this year.

"After Monday's Cabinet meeting, he was very disappointed with
the poor performance of the economic team. So he said that he
wanted to resign," the source said.

Another source told the Post that should Dorodjatun insist on
resigning, Megawati was likely to turn to Rizal Ramli, former
coordinating minister for economy and minister of finance under
former president Abdurrahman Wahid.

He mentioned that Rizal was invited for dinner on Wednesday
with one of Megawati's confidantes, possibly to discuss the
proposal.

Megawati, since she announced her Cabinet lineup, had always
said that she wanted to keep all of her ministers intact until
the end of her tenure in 2004.